Twelve days of Christmas
by becauseicantwritemyownnovel
Summary: The BAU goes to Indianapolis to investigate a three year string of murders that happen shortly before christmas. Morgan and Reid open up to each other about how they really have been feeling.
1. Chapter 1

Hi!

I don't own anything. How sad is that? I know that this is going to be finished after Christmas has passed, however it is still my gift to all the Morgan and Reid fans.

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"We've got a case. We are going to Indianapolis. For the last three years during the twelve days leading up to Christmas eleven bodies are found with smoke inhalation as the cause of death and no signs of a fire anywhere in the homes. Then on Christmas day an entire family is found dead."

"Twelve days?" Reid said. "There are only six days until Christmas."

Hotch nodded and clicked up pictures on the conference room screen. "This is Julia Peterson, Janet Summerland, Jesse Krotzer, and Kevin Dobson. In tradition they were found within the past few days having been reported missing. Two bodies have not yet been found. Autopsy shows Julia was the first then there is a gap, Janet Summerland, Jesse Krotzer, another gap and then Kevin Dobson."

"If this is the third year, why are we just going now?" J.J. asked.

"Local PD has just taken this to our doorstep." Hotch set down folders in front of each of them. "I know that this is close to Christmas and you all have plans however we are not allowed to pass this one on. We are leaving in an hour."

The BAU team begrudgingly got up from the table and went about their way to get ready to go. Not one of them in the mood to deal with a serial killer over Christmas.

J.J. called Will letting him know she might not be home over the holidays and that he should still take Henry to his parents over Christmas. Emily called the conciliate and told her mother she most likely wouldn't make it. She, on the other hand, wasn't so upset about it, she'd be with Hotchner after all. Rossi had no plans and Morgan called his Mom who was not thrilled at all since, they had worked Thanksgiving as well but she ended saying that she knew it couldn't be helped and she told him to be careful.

"As always momma." He said hanging up with her. He looked up from his desk as Reid was walking past him towards the elevator. "Hey pretty boy, wait up." He said grabbing his jacket off the back of his chair. "You want a ride?"

"Yeah, if you don't mind." He answered stepping into the elevator.

Morgan chuckled and pushed the ground floor button. "If I minded I wouldn't have offered."

"I suppose not, although 72% of offers people make are out of guilt or obligation dealing with the aid of others."

"Well I know I'm not obligated, and you could take a cab, so I fall into the other 28% of people who are just plain nice." He responded.

Spencer smiled a little half smile, "I suppose you do then."

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"None of the people have anything that really links them to one another excluding their deaths and location. All are within Indianapolis borders so a few of them shopped at the same places and two women went to the same gym but on different days. So I don't think it really means anything." Garcia shrugged and tilted her head causing her elf earrings to jingle.

"It's unlikely that the unsub has any connection to our victims outside of the murders. All ages, race, and sex are included in his picking so it just narrows down to the matter of how he is killing them. The families on Christmas would indicate that whatever led him to this was a smoke inhalation related death to a member of his own family. Check for fire related deaths starting from Christmas Eve four years ago and see if that brings anything up." Reid said to her.

"Can do." Garcia replied.

"Thanks baby girl." Morgan said and shut off the vid screen.

"Why the twelve days leading up to Christmas?" Prentiss said aloud looking through her folder.

"In each of the families' homes they found a copy of the twelve days of Christmas near the bodies. It must hold some significance to the unsub." Reid said and passed her a picture of the book from his file.

"None of the homes were broken into, so he has to have some kind of way in. It's not like he was bringing them home from a bar or anything. There are too many people on the list that wouldn't fit the category." J.J. said.

"He specifically chooses people who we alone at the time of their death. However he is getting in he knows he won't be interrupted." Hotch said sitting back in his chair.

"They died of smoke inhalation?" Rossi asked. "How does that happen without a fire?"

"It takes 5-10 minutes of straight smoke inhalation to cause brain damage and 15 to kill the average person." Reid said. "The area around the mouth and nose had smoke residue on it, so it might be that he uses some sort of breathe mask. Like from an oxygen tank."

Hotchner's phone rang. "Hotchner," he answered.

"Well, considering people with access to oxygen tanks is bit of a stretch to start with." Morgan said. "My grandma has one and she isn't running around killing people with it."

"Well I don't think the unsub is an old man. The bruising on some of the victims shows that they were held down for a decent amount of time and an old man wouldn't have had the strength to keep down some of the male victims in the file. Maybe some of the female ones, but not the males."

"Reid," Morgan said cutting him off, "I was joking."

"Oh," he said sitting himself up a bit, "Sorry."

Morgan smiled to himself, rolling his eyes.

Hotchner hung up the phone. "They found another body; autopsy thinks it the one from day two."

"By the time we get there we will already be into day seven." Prentiss said.

Hotchner nodded. "So what have we got so far?"

"White male between the ages of 20 and 40, lost someone dear to them in a house fire about four years ago; has a connection with the story the twelve days of Christmas; someone with access to an oxygen mask and tank, most likely lives alone." Reid answered.

"Most definitely not an old man." Morgan said quietly which earned him a glare from Reids direction.


	2. Chapter 2

Alrighty Chapter Two!

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By the time they landed, the body from day two had been found and they went straight to the apartment of the deceased. They talked with the locals and scanned the inside of his apartment for anything out of the ordinary.

"There isn't much more that you can do here," Hotch said looking to his watch. "It's already seven thirty, Morgan and Reid, you two go register at the hotel and look over the unsubs profile again. Try to pull anything from it we haven't yet. Rossi and I will stay here. Prentiss and J.J. get in touch with Garcia and have her input everything on James here. See if she can find anything from that. Call if you get anything. Other than that, everyone get some rest tonight."

They made their way out of the apartment and out of the building. Reid walked next to Morgan until they had gotten to the truck. Reid placed his hand on his stomach trying to stifle a growl. He looked up at Morgan shyly.

"You hungry, pretty boy?" Morgan asked smiling and walking around and getting into the car.

Reid got in his own side and nodded. "It would appear so."

"You want to stop and get something?" Morgan asked backing out in front of the girls. J.J. stuck her tongue out at him and he chuckled at her.

"Not really." Reid said. "I want to get started on these case files."

"Figured. We can order out, Whatcha hungry for?"

Reid scrunched his face towards the side in thought.

Morgan smiled and said "Chinese" at the same time as Reid. "Boy you have an unhealthy love of Chinese food."

"At least I go for a variety. You always get the same thing."

"Why mess with the best?" Morgan said and plugged in a search for nearby delivery on the dashboard GPS.

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"We have five days left until this guy goes under for another year. I'm racking my brain and I can't pull anything from the files to build onto the unsub's profile."

"Alright, well lets see if we can figure out how he gets in. What person would you let into your home without thinking twice?"

"With or without a warrant?"

Morgan laughed. "They were normal, not FBI."

"Right." Reid said and took a bite of his food. "Police officer."

"Firefighter."

"They have access to oxygen tanks and smoke."

"But someone in the building would have noticed a firefighter walking around."

"Did we get the footage from the apartment buildings?" Reid asked.

Morgan nodded. "Sent them to Baby Girl. That's a lot of footage to go through."

Reid nodded and picked up his phone dialing her number.

"Let me guess." She said answering the phone. "You got the sesame chicken and Chocolate God got the low mein."

Reid laughed. "Right on Morgan, but I went with the pork."

"He's predictable, you on the other hand, you know that's not pork right?"

"It tastes good so I choose to ignore it." Reid answered earning him a laugh from Garcia.

"Your love of Chinese food is unhealthy."

"That's what Morgan said."

"Baby girl and I think alike." Morgan said putting some food in his mouth.

Reid waved him off and turned away. "Are you going through the apartments security tapes?"

"Yes, my genius. And let me tell you, it is boring. However Nat King Cole and Bing are here to cheer me on."

"We think the unsub is gaining access with a uniform of some sorts, something low key."

"I shall strain my eyes until I find him love."

"Thanks Garcia."

"You betcha babe. Tell sugar lips I said hello."

"I will." Reid said uncomfortably and hung up the phone mid her laugh. "Garcia says hello sugar lips."

Morgan chuckled. "Sugar lips, that's new."

Reid shot him an unnoticed look as Morgan was still focused on his carton of low mein. He didn't understand the platonic flirting they did. Why flirt with someone for fun? He sighed and went back to focusing on the profile.

"What?" Morgan said.

"Hm?" Reid looked up at him.

"You sighed. What is it?"

"Oh, uh, it's nothing. Just thinking to myself is all." Reid fought back a blush and went back to the profile.

They looked over the profiles and got word from Garcia that nothing connected the latest victim to any of the others and she had yet to locate a suspicious looking uniform in the tapes. Morgan took a shower and when he got out found that Spencer had tacked up a map of Indianapolis and had started to track the killings.

"So far I can't find any sort of pattern or radius that he is comfortable in. And honestly it's frustrating me. Can you see anything?" Reid didn't turn to him but continued to tack up victims locations in color coordinating tacks.

Morgan walked over and took the box of tacks from Reid's hand. "I don't see anything, but it's time for bed pretty boy. We'll look it over in the morning."

"Alright, mom." Reid spoke sarcastically. Something Morgan had noted he was only capable of when he was tired and frustrated. Reid pulled his sleep clothes from his bag and walked off to the bathroom. Morgan watched the door shut behind him and he sighed setting the tacks down on the table. He looked up at the mess of the last four years on the wall also frustrated at not making something of it. He continued to stare until the bathroom door creaked open again.

'Stupid V-neck.' He thought to himself as he scanned Reid nonchalantly. It showed his pristine white collar bones just perfectly and Morgan swallowed.

"It's time for bed." Reid mimicked Morgan poorly which just drew a laugh from Morgan.

Reid flopped down onto his bed and closed his eyes. After a few moments of silence, "It's unlikely he knew any of the victims just from the locations. It's too scattered."

"Reid." Morgan said. "Sleep."

"Sorry." Reid answered into the dark sheepishly. "Good night Morgan."

"Good night, Spencer." Morgan drifted off to sleep pushing the madness from his mind, whereas Reid sat up analyzing just why Morgan had used his first name, a thing he never did.

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Ta-da! I have the third chapter typed up, it just needs to be edited. And if you see any mistakes in my work please let me know! I am a horrible editor.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! And Hope that everyone is having a great holiday season!


	3. Chapter 3

TaDa! Chapter three. Because its Christmas and all I shall give out gifts to those who need some fanfiction. Enjoy :)

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Spencer pushed his eyes shut against the intruding light and after a few moments failing to go back to sleep he blinked them open, just slightly glaring at the drawn back curtains. He rolled over and looked at the clock, five forty five. The bathroom was open and Morgan was nowhere to be found. He grumbled at his lack of sleep blaming his over processing brain for what could be explained easily. Morgan was tired and 'Spencer' came out instead of Reid. That would have worked as a simple explanation had the statistics of sleep deprivation and name relation not popped into his head, which suggested that the first name basis during a tired state was the true form of which the first party desired. Not that Reid would object to being called Spencer, it was just, odd, out of place, not normal.

Spencer sat up and put his feet to the floor. True he had felt differently towards Morgan, and the name mishap, as he was going to label it, had heightened his awareness of the fact. It took every ounce of energy he had to not act awkwardly around him. Spencer knew he was a mess in all other areas of life, his feelings proved to be no different.

The door clicked at the use of a key card and Morgan walked in looking up at him. "Hey there sleeping beauty; didn't think you were going to wake up." He walked over and handed Spencer a cup of coffee and a bag. "Multi grain, extra toasted."

Spencer smiled sniffing in the coffee; Morgan always managed to get the quantities right whereas when he had attempted once to be the nice guy, messed up the coffee even with an order. He stood and stretched then took a sip of his coffee moving over to look at the board. "Did Hotch call yet?"

"He sent a list of names to go talk to. Decedents family, friends and such." Morgan sat down on the edge of the bed and watched Reid squinting at his mappings. After a moment he set down his coffee and pulled out his glasses to take another go at it. He picked up the bagel tossing the bag in the trash and took a bite staring at the board. After a few minutes of silent chewing he said. "There is nothing here." He took another bite and turned to Morgan. Talking out of one side he said, "I thought about it last night, and none of these people have anything in common apart from their death. The unsub isn't going to have a marker on this, the only thing linking them all is the fact that they were breathing and he chose to end it. There location is pointless."

"We shouldn't rule anything out." Morgan said taking a drink from his coffee.

"I'm usually the first to say that but I mean it. Unless he is choosing people by location completely intoxicated, throwing darts at the map, while blindfolded, it's not the location."

Morgan nodded knowing Reid was probably right. But he did enjoy the man's confused look.

"What are we going to ask them?"

"Just the usual, did they feel in danger, ask if they knew the others, pretty much just a lot of ground work until Garcia can five us something or this guy messes up." Morgan shot his cup at the trash can, then cheered quietly for himself after he made it.

Reid rolled his eyes at him. "What?" Morgan said. "It was a nothing but…bag."

"You are ridiculous." Reid said smile gracing his lips.

"You mean ridiculously awesome!" Morgan said back playfully.

"Of course, how could I mess that up?" Reid laughed. "What time are we leaving?"

"We are meeting with local P.D. at seven to give them our profiles. Hotch said he doesn't want to release anything to the press just yet."

Reid nodded and went over to check the time. "I'm getting a shower. Call Garcia and see if she got anything off the tapes yet."

Morgan nodded and watched over his coffee mug as Reid gathered his clothes and went into the bathroom. When he heard the water come on he sighed and reached his hand up to rub his scalp. Either he had heard and didn't over process, or he didn't hear it at all. But the second he let Spencer slip off his lips last night he knew he was in deep trouble.

He picked up his phone and called Garcia.

"Mmm, just what I love in the morning. Tall and dark and Mocha." Garcia said with a giggle into the phone.

"Hey baby girl." He said back.

"I catch a hint of dismay and worry. What happened?"

"You are too good for your own brain you know that?"

"Of course I do, aside of the point. What happened?"

"I called him Spencer." He could almost physically feel her wince.

"What did he say about it?"

"Nothing yet, it was late last night so I don't think he heard me. At least, I'm praying he didn't."

"If he had he would've questioned you already. I think you are okay. Boy, you have to be more careful. Hold those tiger feelings at bay."

He laughed at her. "It just slipped out. I was tired."

"You should just tell him."

"Hmmm, maybe no."

"Alright, suffer alone."

"Alone?" He laughed. "I got you don't I?"

"Of course." She sighed. "My unrequited love interest after a mighty fine white chocolate genius, who am I to walk away in your time of need."

"What about Kevin?"

"Ooo, now he is a darling." She giggled.

He smiled. "How are the tapes coming?"

"Honestly sugar plum, I can't find anything to help you. All the uniforms I have looked at so far have been cleared as real people, doing real work. Unless this guy is killing on the job, I don't see anything suspicious. However I shall still search. I need to get my babies home for Christmas."

"Yeah, if I don't do anything else stupid that is."

"Is it really that farfetched? I mean really, if I were Reid, I would like you."

"Well you are not Reid, and I'm sure he thinks of me as just a meat head."

"He probably thinks that you think he is just an intellectual. Give it some time; I think you aren't the only one with a secret crush here. Just wait till I get some evidence."

"If you say so."Morgan laughed.

"I do. Goodbye, tell my other children I say hello, and be safe."

"Will do baby girl."

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So there you have it. Chapter four will be up sometime in the next few days.


	4. Chapter 4

Soooooo, was anyone else's Christmas break filled with drunken adventures and angry family drama? I mean come on, it's not Christmas without it. Anyway, here is Chapter 4!

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The whole way to the police station Morgan was sweating his brains off. "You did realize it was a week until Christmas didn't you pretty boy?"

"Of course I did." He said leaning into place his hands on the hot dash. Somehow he had completely managed to forget proper winter attire. And by the time they left the hotel there was a fresh two inches of snow on the rental vehicle and the forecast said it would continue to snow all day. Sure he had his Pea coat, but no gloves, no scarf, no hat. Derek couldn't take any more clothes off without being indecent for work. "Sorry." Reid said and moved to turn the heat down.

"It's fine; just leave it. Can't have our brilliant mind catch a cold." Morgan put the heat back up.

"My core body temperature is always four degrees below that of the average human. Combined with my past drug addiction and lower body weight for a male of my height and bad circulation,"

"Reid," Morgan said cutting him off, "You are cold, its winter. It's not a crime in need of explanation. I'll get you warm."

Reid blushed at his choice of words and noted that Morgan hadn't seen it since he was concentrating on the road. He looked at his hands which were the coldest part of him. Suddenly Morgan's jacket was in his lap. He looked over at Morgan who had a little smile on his lips. "What?"

"You." He smiled larger.

Reid raised an eyebrow in question. "What about me?"

"I'm just wondering what you were thinking of to distract you from packing more; well more practical. I've never seen you so unprepared."

Reid wrapped his hands up in Morgan's jacket, "I was just elsewhere is all."

Morgan was worried he'd offended him when Reid turned to the window. Reid just didn't want Morgan to see the blush on his cheeks as he remembered trying to pack but he had been too focused on the ride home with Morgan to focus properly on packing.

'Great Spencer,' He thought to himself, 'Right Genius you are.'

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Meeting with the local P.D. was more annoying than it had to be. Of course the chief misread Rossi who asked why they had waited three years to contact the FBI which started a verbal turf war. He referred to the girls as Barbies with guns, Morgan was the interracial ken doll, Reid was called a little boy with a plastic stethoscope to which he had replied, "Wrong kind of Doctor Genius." Which made Morgan laugh, not to the chagrin of Hotch who was still trying to deal with the man, and they were all locked out off the chief's office.

"I hate dealing with people during the holidays; it's like everyone goes nucking futs." Prentiss whispered. They all watched Hotchner arguing with the department chief through the office glass.

"Nucking futs…oh I get it." Reid said to himself mostly but loud enough for the others to hear in such close proximity.

"You've never heard that before?" Prentiss asked.

"No." Reid said downcast. "Contrary to popular belief not all Double BA and Triple PhD carrying members of the FBI know everything. Like how to pack or simple jokes."

"How to pack?" J.J. said. "What are you talking about?"

"I forgot that it was going to be cold and all." Reid said quietly ashamed of himself.

"Oh; so that's why you had Morgan's jacket on when you came in." He nodded at her and she went on. "Awe he's a sweetheart."

"Who's a sweetheart?" Morgan said coming back from the break room at the tail end of the conversation. He handed the other four there coffee and sat down next to Reid.

"You are." Prentiss said to him. "Giving Reid your coat."

"We had the heat on in the car so high I couldn't have worn it anyway." He laughed.

"Well it is still nice." J.J. said.

"You guys are acting as if I never do anything nice; I just brought everyone back coffee didn't I?"

The girls chuckled at him and drank their coffee waiting for Hotch to finish up his argument. Over all FBI would get the case. With as many deaths as there were, a jurisdiction battle was pointless; but Hotch always wanted to have the good graces of the department behind them.

After an hour of wasted time the arguing died down and Hotch came out. He looked at Rossi first. "Not a word out of you, ever." He said holding a stern face for a moment before cracking a smile. They knew it wasn't Rossi's fault, this department Chief was just an ass. "We are going to brief their department on the profile you've all worked up so far. But let's just say they are not too happy we are here."

"Sure let's just let them push this under the rug for another year so they can all go home early on Christmas Eve." J.J. said angrily. "Honestly this should have been dubbed serial the first year it happened."

Hotch nodded. "I couldn't agree more, but we are here now so let's finish it."

0o0o0o0o0o0

"What are you doing?" Spencer asked when Morgan turned away from their first destination, and he flicked the volume on the angry GPS down.

"Got to get you some gloves, pretty boy." He said and pulled into the department store parking lot.

"But we are working."Reid argued. "Surely my incompetence can be put aside until later."

"I am not having you cold all day." He opened the door and jumped out. "Just stay in the car and stay warm, I'll be back in a minute."

Reid opened his mouth to argue that surely he could go in and buy his own gloves; and that the trip wasn't necessary; but the door shut and instead Reid let out a frustrated grumble.

He did not understand Morgan sometimes, this being one of them. Why on earth take time out of their work to get gloves for him? He could deal with the cold; maybe Morgan didn't want to hear him complain all day.

"Great," He muttered to himself, "I have achieved burden status. Pull yourself together Spencer."

0o0o0o0o0

Taxing was one way that their job could easily be described as. After a full day of delivering bad news, receiving unanswered questions, and the 7th body being found, taxing was a perfect way to describe it.

Morgan flopped onto his bed letting out a long breath, attempting to relax his muscles.

"Shower?" Reid asked lazily; walking in behind him.

'With you, sure.' "You go ahead," Morgan said. "I'll get one later."

"Alright."

Morgan couldn't help but notice how tired Reid had seemed all day. Combined with the cold and getting nowhere with the case he looked exhausted and frustrated.

He heard the shower turn on. "I'll just close my eyes until he's done." He said to himself rolling on his side.

0o0o0o0o0

Spencer draped the towel over his shoulders and exited the bathroom small smile forming on his lips at the sight of Morgan curled up on his side out cold.

He walked over placing a gentle hand on his shoulder shaking lightly. "Morgan, I'm out." He said quietly.

A grumbled sleep response was all he got. He laughed quietly, shaking him a bit harder.

"Hmm?" Morgan rolled over; his eyes blinking open. "He pretty boy." He said sleepily.

Spencer blushed and stepped back. "I'm done in the bathroom."

Morgan got up and pulled off his shoes, shirt, and replaced his jeans with sleep sweats. Spencer heard him mumble "too tired." As he laid back down, pulling the covers up to his shoulders.

Spencer placed his towel over a chair to dry before turning off the light. He heard what he could only assume was a half asleep 'good night' from across the room, and hesitantly he replied, "Good night, Derek." He smiled, liking the sound of the first name basis.

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Well there you have it. I am not sure how satisfied I am with it; but I am so excited about the end and truth be told I love the case so I must press on past the relational stuff. I hope you like it! Next chapter will be here soon.


	5. Chapter 5

Morgan stirred from his sleep and he stared at the blackened ceiling letting is eyes adjust while he listened. He was about to reach for his sidearm when he realized the noises that had pulled him from sleep were coming from Reids side of the room. He sat up and listened for a moment catching a few words in-between mumbled whimpers.

"Stop it, please, don't, ouch, stop it!"

Morgans eyes had adjusted to the dim light outside of the hotel and could see Reids sleeping form fighting faintly against his blankets as if they were holding him down, his voice getting louder. Morgan got up from his bed and walked over grabbing his arm gently, feeling his body shaking. "Reid wake up, you are having a nightmare." At his touch Reid seemed more agitated.

"Stop it!" He screamed. "Please leave me alone!" He cried out. Morgan turned on the side table light and could see him crying in his sleep fighting against the unseen foe.

"Reid, Reid wake up." He said and grabbed both of his shoulders shaking him in an attempt to wake him up. He felt Reids hand scratch violently down his arm causing him to wince. "Spencer wake up!" He shouted.

His eyes opened wide and he immediately tried to push Morgan away from him, fear all over his face.

"Pretty boy, hold up its me." He said quickly and he felt Spencer go stiff. His eyes flitted around the room trying to place where he was. "You were having a nightmare." He explained. He brought his hand off Spencers shoulder and laid it gently on Spencers cheek causing him to jump at the touch, Morgan wiped the wet from his face. "Are you alright?" He asked quietly.

Spencer locked eyes with him for a moment before his eyes slid shut hands coming up to cover his face. "No." he said quietly, his body starting once again to shake. "No." He said again.

Morgan sat on the edge of Reids bed and ran his hand through Reids hair resting it at the base of his neck. He could feel the sweat Reid had worked himself into. "What happened?" He asked softly.

"It was so real." Reid said quietly between small sobs, his fingertips rubbed his temples and forehead harshly seemingly trying to clear his mind. "I could feel him beating me, I could smell the cabin, I thought I was done with the dreams."

Morgan knew he was talking about the Hankel case, and though it had been years Morgan knew that dreams were never a safe place to be and could care less about how much time had passed.

"God!" Spencer said frustration filling his voice and his body continued to shake a bit more violently. He sat up and wipped his face before looking at Morgan. He opened his mouth to say something when his eyes flitted over Morgans arm. He grabbed it with shaky hands and pulled it closer to the small light.

Morgan was slightly shocked to see the large scrape down his arm, blood coming from where Spencers nails had dug into his skin.

"Did I?" Spencer spoke quietly, "Oh God, Im so sorry. I didn't mean to, Im sorry."

"Stop it." Morgan commanded. "It wasn't your fault alright? I don't want to hear it."

The look on Spencers face tore at his heart; he looked devastated, over tired, and frightened. He dropped his head down towards the bed and started to cry again. Morgan shifted from where he was to up near the wall leaning against it and he pulled Reid against himself. He felt him stiffen under his arm and he whispered, "I've got you Spencer. It's alright, go back to sleep." After a few minutes the crying stopped and he felt him relax into sleep once again. Morgans free hand reached out and shut off the small light and he let his eyes slide shut.

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Reid could feel the warmth of the body he was curled into and it only took him a moment to recall the nightmare that had plagued him during the night. He opened his eyes and in the morning light it all seemed so ridiculous. He knew that Raphel and Charles were dead; he'd killed them along with Hankel as well. He couldn't remember how long it had been since his last night terror had been and he felt slightly foolish knowing that he had woken Derek up, that he'd scratched him, and that he'd seen him cry. He also found that he was very comfortable in the position they were in. It was nice, feeling the heat of his body, a limp protective arm gently under his waist. He knew it was because of the dream, but he allowed himself the moment of indulgence to pretend it was something more. A few minutes passed and he felt Derek stir.

His eyes blinked open and he caught Spencer looking at him. To Spencers surprise he didn't recoil back he just sat up on his arm, still leaving a bit under Spencers body. "You alright?" He asked.

Spencer nodded. "Sorry about that. How is your arm?"

Derek put it between them and Spencer ran his fingers gently over the dried flaky blood. "You should probably get that looked at."

"Why, do you have rabies?" Derek chuckled.

"No but who knows what kind of germs could have gotten in there from the hotel sheets. Did you know that 89% of hotels are not actually cleaned according to,"

"Please don't finish that sentence. With as much of my life that is spent in hotels I would like to remain naïve to the cleaning statistics and kept my false sense of clean security." He smiled. "Where you able to sleep?"

"Yes, thank you. You didn't have to…console me."

"I wanted to. Honestly I don't want to see you like that again, so if I have to get scratched to get you smiling again I'll do it. Got it?" Morgan smiled at him and Reid felt a flush crawl over his face as he returned the smile. And he was not a hundred percent positive but he was pretty sure that their faces were closer together than they had been moments before. His heart rate picked up and he could feel Dereks breath on his face and they were just an inch apart.

Spencer felt himself jump when Morgans phone went off. They stayed close for just a moment longer before Morgan growled and pulled his arm from under Spencer and rolled off the bed to get his phone. "Morgan, oh hey J.J. No, we are both up; alright, we'll be ready in twenty?" He looked at Spencer who nodded. "Yeah, twenty is good. See you."

Spencer sat up stunned. If his mind had not been deceiving him, which he was not entirely sure that it wasn't, he could have sworn they were almost going to kiss. He ruffled his hands between his hair and looked up at Morgan who was gathering his clothes.

"They found victim number eight, female, we are heading over to her place with the girls." He turned around and looked at Spencer silent for a moment, and Spencer couldn't tell what he was thinking. "We'll uh, talk about that later, Alright?" It was more of a statement than a question and Spencer just nodded finding it hard to pull a word out.

"Okay." Morgan said and disappeared into the bathroom.

0o000o0o0o0o

Sorry that took so long, horrid little thing called writers block had taken over me. Alas I have defeated it! Let me know what you think and let me know where I messed up! I think that there are only 2 more chapters left in my brain, and they will be longer than this one. Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

"Reid, what is with you?"

"Hu?" Reid looked up at Emily. "Excuse me?"

She gave him a sideways glance and rolled her eyes. "You are here, but you are so not here. You haven't gone off on a tangent about anything, and I've set you up several times for a statistical overload and I've got nothing from you, and it's eerie."

"Sorry, I didn't sleep the best last night." He looked over to her the look he received was not one of being impressed.

"When you haven't slept well you ramble, you have been silent, absent even."

"Are you profiling me?"

"Observation," She put her hand up in the air playing defensive with a small smile on her lips, "Alright, I'll leave it at sleep deprivation."

Reid leaned back against his seat and stared out the window. Thankfully Hotch had asked him to go with Prentiss instead of Morgan which lifted a great weight off his shoulders. He needed time to think, about the night before, about the morning, about the almost…almost something. And he knew that when they got back to the hotel he would have to face him. He would have to talk to him and give him a reason as to why he tried to kiss him, and it tied his stomach in knots to the point where he couldn't concentrate on making a profile, when they met with newfound victim number nines family he barely talked to them, leaving Prentiss to do it. Morgan needed an explanation, and he didn't know how to give him one.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Reid stood outside the door room key in hand staring at the knob. They'd been back for ten minutes and he just didn't want to go in.

"Reid?" He turned around as Morgan came walking down the hall. "What are you doing?"

"I uh, well, I'm standing here. I thought you got back before we did."

Morgan lifted up the coffee cup in his hand. "Ran out for a second." He slowed to a stop in front of him. "You gonna open the door or are we going to have to stand in the hall all night?"

"Oh, oh sorry." Reid brought the key up missing the lock completely the first time his hand was shaking and he hadn't noticed before. With purpose he jammed the key through the slide and the door the light turning green and he flicked the handle open nearly running into the room. He took off his jacket laying it on the bed with his gloves and immediately picked up a file, ignoring the shaking of his hands and the feeling of Morgan staring at him. "Did uh, did you and Jj have any luck?"

"No, we just worked with local pd trying to figure out what kind of smoke was ingested, see if it held any kind of signature. It looks like just regular wood smoke. How about you?"

"Spent most of the day talking with the family, nothing from it; we keep talking to family and nothing is coming of it. They are not helping and we are wasting our time. Problem is we have no other way to focus our time. It's already the 22nd and we have only found nine bodies, we are running out of time and fast. I hate to say it but unless something major happens then we might not be able close this one." It was silent for a bit before Reid heard a snort, or a chuckle, maybe a mixture of both. He turned slightly to look at Morgan. "What?"

"I know that you are not reading that." He spoke quietly.

Reid knew what he was getting at and he felt the knot in his stomach come back. He set the file on the bed and moved past Morgan. "I have to use the restroom." He mumbled, his hand reached the door and he froze. "I'm sorry." He said quietly. "About this morning, I didn't…my intention was not to…" His hand dropped from the knob to the hem of his shirt nervously tugging on it.

"Your intentions, Reid what are you talking about?"

He sighed. "I've never moved them from more than friendship, I know your preference, and I think that in the spark of the moment I simply forgot to keep myself in check. My behavior this morning was inappropriate and you were just trying to be of some comfort to me. I was out of line, and I, well….I mean…" Reid pulled tighter on his shirt beginning to ramble. "It's, I'm just sorry, to have made you uncomfortable, I never wanted to…." He heard Morgan set down his cup and move towards him. He wasn't sure what to expect, at the least he expected a verbal reprimand, and he wouldn't blame him for it. He felt very small and insignificant in the moment.

"Reid." Morgan said and he turned slightly, but wouldn't bring up his gaze. Instead he watched as Morgan's hands reached out and gently pulled Reid's hands away from his shirt, holding them gently. "Reid, look at me." Reid heard him speak closely to his ear and he slowly shifted his eyes from their hands to Morgans face, which was very close to his own.

"I'll let you take the blame for that one." He spoke his voice low and quiet. "But this one, this is all on me."

Reid felt his hands drop and Morgan's hands came up gently around the back of his neck, pulling him close until their lips met. His hands moved of their own accord grabbing Morgans shirt tightly in his fists pulling him closer. He felt Morgan smirk at him and it pulled Reid back to earth he opened his eyes and found himself looking into Morgans, he gasped and Morgan found that a great opportunity to pull Reid closer deepening the kiss.

His head, his heart, his…well his everything was pounding, the noise resounding loudly in his ears. One of Morgans hands was tangled in his hair, the other on the small of his back pulling him closer; he couldn't tell where his body ended and Morgans began; and it was hot, so hot all of a sudden he felt dizzy.

He wasn't sure if he pulled back for air or Morgan, but he kept his eyes closed and breathed the cool air in deeply, shuddering as he exhaled.

"Hey." Morgan said quietly and Reid opened his eyes looking at him, he had a silly smile on his lips. He leaned in and kissed him again, deeper; less sweet and more urgent. Reid felt himself moving back words until he was pushed up against the wall, Morgan's leg moved between his pining him in place. Lips parted and Reid let out a strangled noise that was foreign to him when Morgan attached himself to his neck.

"Derek…" the name escaped his mouth without thinking his head moving back unconsciously giving him a better range of his neck. He felt his one leg up wrapping it around Morgan's calf, pulling him closer, wanting to feel every bit of him. And just like that his lips came off and Reid much to his dismay let out a whimper of disapproval.

Morgan leaned his head against Reid cheek. "I gotta slow down pretty boy," He spoke quietly, his breath ragged, "That was about five second shy of becoming something other than pg rated." He pulled back and gave him a soft kiss before resting their foreheads together letting their breathing even out.

"I," Reid swallow finding his mouth dry all of a sudden, "I was not aware that you,"

Morgan chuckled. "Neither was I, pretty boy. Neither was I."

Slowly they untangled their limbs finding themselves; Reid pushed his hands through his hair trying to give it some semblance of order as his mind started to catalog what had just happened in rapid succession. He looked up when he heard Morgan laugh.

"You're processing." He stated with a small smile on his lips.

"Well," Reid said furrowing his brow a bit, "I feel it only reasonable to do so, given the current state of things."

"This is true." He laughed. "I'll tell you what though; I've wanted to do that for a long time, and I'm glad I did."

Reid couldn't hold back the smile that formed boldly on his lips, making him feel like a silly school girl. "I am too."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Alrighty, they have now macked out. WOOHOO! One chapter left! Will they solve the case, what will happen with Morgan and Reid, why the smoke related deaths! Stay tuned for the next and final installment of Twelve Days of Christmas!


	7. Chapter 7

Alright so I appologize that it has taken so long for this AND that this is completely unedited. The computer Im using has no editing software in the word program. Its a dinosaur. Anyway here it is and once again I am so sorry. And thank you for reading my story.

Reid claimed the shower in need of calming his nerves and when he had gotten out he found a note from Morgan.

_'No regrets, so don't go worrying your pretty little head off. Stepping ou to get some air, gotta reign myself in if you know what I mean. -Derek'_

He knew far too well what he had meant. Reid forced himself to lay down with his hands securly beneath his pillow, and each time his endemic memory tried to play back the events of the last hour he focused instead on figuring out the date of every monday in history. Three thousand seven hundred and twenty four mondays passed before he fell asleep, smile plastered on his face.

In the morning they both silently decided not to speak and instead spent their time in an unawkward silence smiling at eachother. When they arrived at the precinct it took some massive amounts of self-control to keep themselves at bay. It was day ten, only two days left until Christmas and they had no leads. They combed through everything once again, rehashing, researching, rethinking, and restepping every detail of the past three years case files. It was exhaustive, running into walls, knowing the window was closing on them.

The hours slowly ticked by frustration growing in each member of the BAU, until one of the detectives came bolting into the conference room they were using at a quater to five.

"A call just came in, gun shots were heard at the Colonial Apartments. Paramedics found one dead and another uncocius from smoke inhalation. She's on her way to the hospital."

Hotch stood with the rest of the team. "Prentiss and Jj, head over to the hospital. If she wakes up see if you can get a description. Morgan and Reid, your with Rossi and I. We'll go to the apartment and see if he left anything behind."

They found the apartment untouched like the others, the gunshot victim dead in the center of the living room.

"Maybe the gun is how he gains access. He knocks on the door and forces his way in using the gun to keep them quiet." Reid turned around. "Have they removed the slug?"

Hotchner nodded. "Its on its way to the crime lab now."

Reid turned back to the scene. "The victim must have walked in and shocked the unsub, causing him to deviate from plan, likely saving the girls life." he turned to the officers. "Did he have a key?"

"Hey, isnt this our guy?" Rossi picked up a picture from the book shelf showing it to the others. "Looks like he was the boyfriend."

"Did your men find any keys on the victim?" Hotchner asked on of the detectives.

"Yes but we havent checked them against the door yet."

"So he comes in to find the unsub attempting to kill his girlfriend, scares the guy enough to shoot him and flee the scene."

"Morgan, take a look at this." Reid called over from near the coffee table, pointing at a small metal gage.

Morgan picked it up and turned it over in his hands. "It goes on an oxygen tank."

"Yes, not just any though." Reid took it from Morgans hand and walked over to Hotchner and Rossi. "This gage is specifically used on oxygen tanks kept on fire trucks. This model has been out of curcit for four years now. It must have been nocked off. Odds are after whatever triggered the murders started when the Unsub was still a firefighter and he took one of the retired tanks."

"Alright, Morgan you and Reid head back to the station give out a new profile. He's thrown off his game and its likely that he'll start killing sparatically."

Morgan set his phone on the dash and turned on the speaker. "Go ahead baby girl."

"I got the results from the lab and crossed it against the database, got a lot of hits but not from anything recent. The gun matched a string of murders from four years ago and get this, the murders all happened on the twelve days leading up to Christmas."

"We've only been looking back four years, Garcia can you run a search for fires that happened five years ago on Christmas eve?"

"Give me one second...got it. Oh my god. Five years ago there were eight fires on Christmas eve, out of them only one fatality, a Jennifer Curtis, guys her brother Jacob was a firefighter."

"Thats our guy." Morgan spoke.

"There's more. The ones that die on Christmas eve have all been survivors of that night."

"That leaves only three left."

"Garcia we need"

"Already sending locations to your cell phones."

"You are wonderful baby girl."

The door to the house was unlocked with two cars in the driveway and no lights on inside. He spoke into his radio. "He's at 243 Hershman Road."

"Wait for backup." Hotchner answered. Something clattered from inside the house and Morgan looked at Reid drawing his weapon and Reid followed suit. "No time to wait." They made their way into the house moving quickly and silently. Morgan motioned for Reid to search toward the living room and he moved to the kitchen. Past the living room was a empty childerens room and he went into the master bedroom. He scanned the room for the unsub not seeing him. A husband and wife were tied and gaged to chairs and two children tied and gaged sat next to the bed. Reid motioned for them to remain quiet and the husbands eyes widened. Before Reid could turn around to see that he had missed a dark corner he was tackled to the ground his gun falling from his hands and a mask was forced over his mouth and nose. Smoke started to fill his lungs and he fought against the unsub and the overwhelming desire to breath.

Suddenly the weight of the man pinning him down was gone and he pulled the mask off his face gasping at the clean air. His vision was blurred and he could vaguely make out in the dim light Morgan struggling with the unsub, his gun knocked from his hands slid across the hardwood bedroom floor stopping when it knocked into the chair the father was tied to. Reid tried to push through the haze and he groped the floor for his gun. His fingers grasped the cold metal and he rolled over onto his back. The Unsub was ontop of Morgan and he pulled his gun in Morgans face. Reid fired two rounds and all went quiet except for the sounds of muffled cries from behind duct tape.

"Morgan!" Reid cried out, suddenly afraid that he had missed and hit Morgan.

He let out a sigh of relief when Morgan pushed the Unsubs limp body off of him and sat up. "I'm fine. You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah Im fine. Lets get them untied."

The could hear the sirens of backup arriving and as they untied the family they kept stealing glances at eachother as if making sure they ere still alright.

When the plane had landed Morgan offered Reid a ride, which was quickly accepted and they drove in silence until they reached Reids apartment. Reid didn't question him when Morgan parked the SUV and got out with him, following just as silently into Reids apartment.

"We've got to work on that or we wont be able to work together."

Reid nodded knowing exactly what he was talking about. His heart had stopped the moment that he thought he'd shot Morgan and the whole time they kept stealing glances at eachother the overwhelming what if the Unsub had killed him?

"I always worry about you on the field." Reid said quietly. "What are we doing Morgan?" he asked turning to face him.

Morgan ran his hand over his head. "We are going to figure it out. Because I know that I have never felt the way I feel about you, and Im not about to let that go." He looked into Reids eyes. "And however that plays out well, we'll just have to do it together."

Reid couldnt help the smile that formed on his face and he quickly appologized. "I'm sorry, I seem to be going at this like a school girl."

Morgan smiled and advanced towards him pulling Reids arms up to wrap around his shoulders before wrapping his own around his waist. "Why don't we start right here, where we left off the other night."

Their faces were close and Reid couldn't help but smile again. "I think that is a fine idea."

There it is my friends! I hope that you enjoyed it! Im tossing around the idea of a sequal but I am not sure yet. Anyway thank you so much for reading my story and for your reviews, its fuel for my mind and I love the imput. It helps me write better.


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